About
About
Aleni is a small, artist-owned homewares studio based in Los Angeles, California.
Aleni creates cast aluminum design objects that preserve the language of the hand — translating ceramic form into functional, sculptural pieces for everyday environments.
At its core, aleni is focused on creating objects that feel lasting; both materially and aesthetically. By working with local artisans and producing in small runs, the studio prioritizes sustainability, thoughtful production, and a close connection to the craft behind each piece.
About
Aleni is a small, artist-owned homewares studio based in Los Angeles, California.
Aleni creates cast aluminum design objects that preserve the language of the hand — translating ceramic form into functional, sculptural pieces for everyday environments.
At its core, aleni is focused on creating objects that feel lasting; both materially and aesthetically. By working with local artisans and producing in small runs, the studio prioritizes sustainability, thoughtful production, and a close connection to the craft behind each piece.
Process
Born from Ceramic
Each Aleni object begins its life in natural clay, formed slowly by hand in the studio. The original piece carries the marks of pressure and irregularity, allowing the clay to express its natural texture. These gestures are not refined away, and instead, are hardened and preserved in the firing process. The ceramic form becomes the origin of aleni.
Process
A new life in Aluminum
From this original in clay, a mold is created and used to cast each object in aluminum. Our partnered foundry is local to Los Angeles with decades of expertise, supporting local business with sustainable materials. Aluminum is selected for its durability and recyclability. This humble metal honors the form-over-material approach celebrated in many Mid Century homes and objects that inspired aleni.
Process
Material Memory
Each piece retains the organic surfaces of the hand-formed original, translated into softer materials with higher strength. Through this iterative process, textures soften and absorb a unique finish, making each object slightly different from the next. These variations are not imperfections; they are a record of the process, embedded in metal.
Core Values
Made in Los Angeles
Aleni is an artist-owned studio based in Los Angeles, California. Each piece is developed locally in collaboration with skilled craftspeople, supporting small-scale production and maintaining proximity to the process. This approach allows for continuity between design, material, and making.
Sustainability
Aluminum is a fully recyclable material that can be reformed without loss of quality. Material waste is minimized by casting from sand, or durable molds, and producing in small batches. The result is an object intended to last, both physically and materially.
We take the same approach with packaging, using recycled or 100% recyclable materials with minimal materials included in each order.